COLUMBIA, S.C. — More than 3,000 people have died in South Carolina due to coronavirus.
"This is not a hoax!" expressed Tulina Hall-Chatman. "I've lost family; they're gone, and I'm never going to see them again."
Tulina lost four family members within the same week due to COVID-19 and another a few months later.
"It has been a very intense year dealing with the loss of relatives and still trying to find a way to live normal," explained Hall-Chatman.
Other survivors gathered at the statehouse to express just how deadly this virus is. There were 384 chairs displayed to represent 3,840 lives lost in South Carolina in the middle of the lawn.
"COVID-19 can be a death sentence; it can also be a life sentence," said End Coronavirus South Carolina Director Tiffany James.
Summer Barrios says that statement holds true to what her husband is dealing with now.
"I believe it was the first Sunday in July he was admitted to AnMed Health in Anderson South Carolina to the critical care ward," said Barrios. "He stayed there for about 70 days. During that time, he suffered multiple complications, including almost passing away two times."
Barrios says her husband was a manager for the shipping and receiving industry before he got sick. Now they are hoping he can recover.
"The last oxygen lung function test he had was operating at 50 percent capacity," said Barrios. "In December, we are going back for another test to see if he is doing better with oxygen. If not, he's looking at restrictive lung disease due to COVID."